{"id":14020,"date":"2011-09-08T20:41:55","date_gmt":"2011-09-08T20:41:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/production.ou.org\/life\/other\/masechet_hullin_75a81b\/"},"modified":"2015-11-03T12:03:17","modified_gmt":"2015-11-03T17:03:17","slug":"masechet_hullin_75a81b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_hullin_75a81b\/","title":{"rendered":"Masechet Chullin 75a-81b"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Coming Week’s Daf Yomi by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz<\/em><\/p>\n

This essay is based upon the insights and chidushim (original ideas) of Talmudic scholar Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, as published in the Hebrew version of the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud.<\/em><\/p>\n

Chullin 75a-b: A living, breathing, partially slaughtered animal<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

As we learned on yesterday’s daf<\/em><\/a>, there is a difference of opinion regarding the status of a viable fetus that was in utero at the time that its mother was slaughtered. Rabbi Meir<\/a> rules that in such a case it would need its own shechita<\/em>. The Chachamim<\/a><\/em> disagree, arguing that the mother’s slaughter permits the fetus.<\/p>\n

What if the mother was a treifah<\/em> \u2013 an animal with a terminal condition that will not allow it to survive? The slaughter of a treifah<\/em> does not render the mother kosher, although it does affect the mother’s status with regard to laws of ritual purity (see above daf 73<\/a><\/em>).<\/p>\n

This question is discussed in the Gemara<\/a> where we find Rabbi Ammi<\/a> teaching that if a person slaughtered a treifah<\/em> animal and found in it a viable fetus, then the positions are switched. Rabbi Meir who forbids the fetus (without slaughtering) permits this fetus, while the Hakhamim<\/em> who permit the fetus without slaughtering would forbid this fetus, even if it is slaughtered on its own. Rabbi Ammi’s argument is that Rabbi Meir views a viable fetus as an independent entity, so its mother’s slaughter has no impact on it. It cannot permit the fetus if it was a kosher slaughter and it cannot forbid the fetus if the mother’s slaughter was invalid. On the other hand, the Hakhamim<\/em> who view the fetus as part of its mother and rule that the mother’s shechita<\/em> affects the fetus will have to accept the fact that if the mother’s slaughter was invalid, we view it as if the fetus has been improperly slaughtered, and that cannot be rectified.<\/p>\n

Rava<\/a> argues with Rabbi Ammi, saying that even according to the Hakhamim<\/em>, the fetus can be permitted if it receives its own shechita<\/em>, “for the Divine Law permits the fetus by the slaughtering of any two out of four simanim<\/em>.” That is to say, although the mother’s slaughter did have some legal standing \u2013 it removes the ritual defilement of neveilah<\/em> \u2013 nevertheless the option remains for it to receive its own shechita<\/em>, which will permit it entirely.<\/p>\n

\n

Chullin 76a-b: When an animal’s legs are cut off<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Another case of an animal rendered a treifah<\/em> \u2013 that it has a terminal condition that will not allow it to survive \u2013 is discussed in the Mishnah<\/a> on today’s daf<\/em>. The Mishnah teaches that if the hind legs of an animal were cut off below the joint, it is permitted, but if they were cut off above the joint, it is considered a treifah<\/em>. This is also the case if the tzomet ha-gidim<\/em> \u2013 the juncture of the tendons \u2013 was gone.<\/p>\n

Which joint is the one that serves as the “cut-off point” for this law?<\/p>\n

The Gemara<\/a> brings a difference of opinion with regard to this question. Rav Yehudah<\/a> said in the name of Rav<\/a> who reported it in the name of Rabbi Hiyya<\/a>, “below” means below the joint, and “above” means above the joint, and the joint referred to is the joint which is sold together with the head. Ulla<\/a> said in the name of Rabbi Oshaya<\/a>: It is that joint which is clearly distinguishable in the camel.<\/p>\n

An animal’s leg is made up of three main bones (aside from the smaller bones around the hoof that are comparable to a human foot). They are:<\/p>\n